Emer O’Toole

This abortion law isn't what Ireland voted for
The Dáil should listen to the voters, not generate red tape that could stop vulnerable people getting the care they need

Emer O’Toole
Tue 4 Dec 2018

In 1983, as the Irish electorate voted in favour of a constitutional ban on abortion, campaigners warned in bold print: “This Amendment Could Kill Women.”

It did.

Following the tragedy of Savita Halappanavar’s death in 2012, Irish politicians were forced to legislate on a 20-year-old supreme court decision, one that consecutive governments had conspicuously kicked into the long grass. In 1992, a judge had ruled that a suicidal teenage rape victim had the right to an abortion. When the government finally produced the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, it was so clearly unfit for purpose that the Abortion Rights Campaign doubted it would enable a suicidal teenage rape victim to access a termination at all.

At last, an abortion referendum. Women’s protest has won over Irish politicians

Emer O'Toole
Tue 30 Jan 2018

Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin have shifted from anti-abortion stances. If we can convince them, we can convince our families and friends

On Monday night, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed that Ireland will hold a referendum on abortion in late May. The electorate will be asked if they want to repeal or retain the eighth amendment to the constitution, which effectively bans terminations. In the case of repeal, people will also be asked to approve an addition to the constitution allowing the Oireachtas, the Irish legislature, to legislate for abortion. The government will draft legislation for unrestricted access to terminations up to 12 weeks, but this will only be voted on if the referendum passes.

As the country prepares to hold a referendum on abortion, religiously-motivated opposition to it may be on the wane.

Yasmeen Serhan
Oct 3, 2017 Global

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Dublin Saturday for the annual March for Choice, a demonstration calling on Ireland’s government to ease its near-total abortion ban. It was the first major rally organized by pro-choice advocates since the government announced an upcoming referendum: Next summer, the country will vote on whether it should change its abortion laws. The advocates told me that if the referendum works out in their favor, they may not have to organize any more marches.

But it’s not yet clear how likely the laws are to change, or even what changes will be proposed. The exact wording of the vote is not expected to be determined before December.

Global support grows for Dublin’s March for Choice
Irish abroad organising solidarity events in more than 20 cities across the world
Fri, Sep 29, 2017
Marie Claire Digby

Saturday shoppers, tourists and well-heeled residents of Belgravia in west London will encounter some unusual street art on Saturday, September 30th, when members of the London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign will make 205,704 chalk markings on the pavement outside the Irish Embassy at 17 Grosvenor Place.

The organisation says “the markings will represent the 205,704 Irish and Northern Irish women who have travelled to Great Britain for an abortion since the 8th Amendment in 1983”.

We can topple Ireland’s ludicrous abortion law, but it’s not a done deal
The referendum to ‘repeal the 8th’ is a reward for brave campaigning by Irish women. But unlike the same-sex marriage vote, we face huge political hostility

Emer O'Toole
Wednesday 27 September 2017 14.17

It is 34 years since the Irish people voted to amend the constitution to designate the right to life of the “unborn” as equal to that of a pregnant woman, effectively banning abortion. And for 34 years Irish feminists and their allies have been campaigning to end the shame and suffering that have been the fruits of our holy eighth amendment.

In 2011 the Abortion Rights Campaign organised its first annual March for Choice in Dublin. The police told the media that only 500 people had attended, a figure easily contradicted by video evidence. The national press barely blinked at us. The following year the then taoiseach, Enda Kenny, told Time magazine that abortion was “not of priority” for his government. We were not on the radar.